Rugby World Cup Recap – QF Results
Fans of rugby all over the world were delighted when the 2021 Rugby World Cup returned after a five-year absence. Postponements caused by the pandemic added to the tension surrounding the event. Yet finally, in July, the tournament reached the quarterfinals. Four teams surfaced from the quarterfinals, positioning themselves for the final game. These teams set the stakes high for what should be an exciting round of semi-finals.
In a landmark event, the 2021 Rugby World Cup took place in New Zealand from September 18 to October 16, making the country the event's first-ever host since its inception in 1987. For five heart-pounding weeks, fans watched as South Africa took the championship, the quarterfinal results of which set up the country's finals matchup.
When I think back to the quarterfinals of 2019's Rugby World Cup, I can scarcely believe what unfolded. I can hardly imagine unbelievable moments and spellbinding matches becoming any more unforgettable. In the quarterfinals I saw (on TV, from home, in Pembroke, Ontario), Wales was forced to have a remarkable comeback in order to defeat two-time champions South Africa. Japan staged a strong fight against the Springboks... before ultimately losing in penalty kicks (overtime). Meanwhile, England had the audacity to waltz to a decisive victory over a gallant Australia.
RWC Quarter-Finals Results
The quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup provided nail-biting excitement for fans of the sport, with the two matches played offering contrasting styles of play and levels of tension. In the first match, contested on Saturday, October 9, England faced off with Argentina in a hard-fought game that saw both teams giving their complete effort. In the end, England won the match by a score of 25-18, moving on to the semifinals. Performance of England: Score: 25-18.
In the second match, Ireland was left struggling to keep up as South Africa was dominating with its sheer physicality and the sharp tactics of its rugby experts. Call it the 27-9 win that punched South Africa's ticket to the semi-finals. Dominating Ireland is certainly the headline, but how might South Africa's brawn and smarts match up against New Zealand and/or England in the next round?
The third match exhibited a tightly contested scuffle between New Zealand and France, with both teams trading attacks over the course of the game. However, New Zealand's experience and talent proved to be too much for France, and the game finished with a score of 23-13, and the All Blacks advancing to the semi-final.
In the last match of the quarterfinals, Australia and Wales were locked in a classic contest where both teams attacked relentlessly. Wales prevailed, winning 29-25 in a match that could have gone either way but that was decided, in part, by the not-so-infrequent phenomenon of nursing an injured player on the field.
The semi-finals promise to be very exciting and to bring even more thrills than the quarter-finals. England and South Africa will clash in one match, while New Zealand and Wales will face each other in the other contest. All four teams, and especially the two winners, will be that much closer to the Rugby World Cup trophy that is so coveted. They are matches that no serious rugby fan anywhere in the world would dare miss!
Latest World Rugby Men’s Rankings
The first game on Sunday was Wales vs. France, and the Welsh team came out on top. The third-best rugby nation had to scrape through a hard-fought tie against the French to win 20-19. They will fancy their chances of going against the Springboks next, having won the last four consecutive matches. They met in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, where the Boks came out on top.
Here is a list of the present World Rugby Men’s Rankings for 2025:
| Position | Team | Points |
| 1 | England | 94.29 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 93.19 |
| 3 | France | 89.68 |
| 4 | Canada | 84.22 |
| 5 | Italy | 78.70 |
| 6 | Australia | 78.00 |
| 7 | United States | 76.78 |
| 8 | Ireland | 74.01 |
| 9 | Wales | 72.70 |
| 10 | Scotland | 68.71 |